


This happened in a dream

by Moonprincess92



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dating, F/M, First Dates, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-11 19:54:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11721423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonprincess92/pseuds/Moonprincess92
Summary: One night. One date. A series of moments.





	1. Library

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one I literally dreamed one night and I kinda just ran with it, lol. Been posting this on tumblr (@moonprincess92nz) but by popular demand, it's now posted here too :D   
> Get ready for our two kids being almost disgustingly cute with each other (seriously, it's ridiculous)   
> Hope yall like it!   
> xoxo

They meet in their university library.

The second floor is dedicated to group study and is full of tables that are 99% of the time already completely taken before 8am even hits. It’s no problem for Jyn Erso, she’s there before six every morning anyway, but Cassian runs into this problem all the time (no one wants to have to take the individual desks instead, they’re closed in and you can’t spread out anywhere). 

So he picks the first person who has space at their table and also doesn’t look like they’ll disturb him. 

“Hey, can I sit here?” 

She looks up, eyes dark, face pale and hair frizzy. But she nods. They don’t say a word the entire day, and the next, she’s there again… so what the hell, he goes for it.

Sitting at the same table together carries on for a rather unreasonable amount of time before they ever actually speak to each other. In Jyn’s head she kind of ends up naming him ‘Hot Library Guy’ and in Cassian’s she’s ‘Table Girl’ but everything kind of just works out for them. They’re both quiet and studious, never interupting the other. They silently look after the other’s stuff when they have to go and use the bathroom. Eventually he doesn’t even need to ask whether he can sit there, they just catch each other’s eye and he’ll come join. Sometimes she has snacks, and she’ll wordlessly slide them across the table to him. Sometimes, he will let out a soft groan, staring at the pages of his text book with his hands in his hair, and she will give him a look of, ‘Don’t worry buddy, I get ya.’ 

Finally, they speak to each other. 

During exam period, things are particularly rough. Jyn is about to goddamn cry over her notes, and Cassian looks like he’d rather choke than carry on reading. In desperation, she chucks a bag of m&ms at him. 

“Are you dying too?” she asks 

He almost laughs. “Oh, I died about two hours ago.” 

A few nervous titters, a handful of m&ms, and about half an hour of tentative conversation later, they finally learn each other’s names when he asks her out. 

“Seriously, I have to make up for all the food you’ve fed me,” he insisted. “If you wanted…” 

She doesn’t normally do this. Relationships always end in disaster for her, to the point where she’s given up entirely. Without fail, she always finds herself either crying on Bodhi’s couch or kicking the shit out of stuff down at the gym (hell, most of the time it’s both). She doesn’t have the time for this, nor the inclination… but he’s smiling so nervously and damn it, her chest is screaming. 

“Yes,” she says. “Yeah, sure, that sounds great.” 

They go back to working in silence. 


	2. Bodhi

She almost thinks Bodhi is going to faint when he finds out. 

“By the way, it’s my turn to buy for pizza night!” he yells at her through the kitchen door the second she walks in. “I don’t care what you say, I have the money now, so I’m doing it! Just don’t order anything from the deluxe menu, not that you would, because you’re Jyn Erso who never orders anything but meatlovers, but just in case you were thinking of branching out, even I don’t have the cash for those bloody gourmet things - seriously, they even use oyster sauce! Who puts that on a pizza-?” 

“Bodhi,” Jyn finally cut off her best friend’s ramble. Leaning in the doorframe, she’s unsure of how much to say, but she can’t just say nothing. “Look, about pizza night, I’m not coming this week.” 

Bodhi drops the pan in his hands back into the sink with a soapy splash. 

“But - but it’s PIZZA NIGHT,” he says. 

“Next week, ok?” Jyn just shrugs. 

“What’s going on? Are you ok? Has your dad - ?” 

“Jesus, no,” Jyn is quick to scoff. “I just happen to have plans this week! It’s nothing.” 

But Bodhi eyes her shrewdly. He’s always had the ability to see right through her, and most days, she appreciates it since it means she never has to explain what she’s feeling (words have never exactly been second nature to her). But right now he suspects and she has no idea how she ever thought she could get away with this without him finding out. 

“You have a date, don’t you?” he starts to grin, slyly. 

“ _No_.” 

“Jynnnnn -” 

“FINE,” Jyn says, exasperatedly. “Hot Library Guy asked me out. You happy?” 

More than happy, it appears that Bodhi is beside himself. He runs and hugs her tightly, Jyn grumbling as he spins her around the kitchen. “After listening to you rant about him all semester? I’m ecstatic! What are you guys doing? Where are you gonna go? OH, and what the hell is his name, because naturally I have to stalk him on Facebook -” 

“ _Would you put me down?_ ” 

He dumps her back onto the kitchen floor. 

“You really are excited for this, right?” he asks, voice a little gentler now. He’s been there through every relationship that’s ever ended in unmitigated disaster and she knows that he’s just trying to be supportive. She folds her arms across her chest. Usually when she gets to this point - on the verge of a potential something - anxiety rears up and tries to choke her. She mostly ploughs through it and hopes for the best (the tactic clearly needed a revision or two) but while her heart was pounding, she realises that this time it doesn’t actually feel painful. 

“Yeah,” she says, trying to hide a small smile. “Yeah, I am.” 


	3. Pick up

“HIIIIII,” Bodhi answers the door. “You must be Hot Library guy! Sorry, Jyn can’t come to the door right now, she’s a bit busy -” 

“BODHI -” 

Cassian isn’t expecting the offscreen crash. Jyn comes hurtling out from somewhere behind the door, practically tackling Bodhi out of sight beyond. There’s a bit more yelling and thumps and someone shouting,  _“I was just kidding - OUCH -”_

He wonders what he’s gone and gotten himself into. 

Asking out Table Girl was honestly never his intention. Sitting down next to her simply became one less stress of the day. Sure, she was gorgeous, but for god’s sake, people went to the library to study, not to be hit on. He was determined to never say a thing until she did and even then, the words had just blurted out of his mouth before he could stop them! He never dared dream she’d say yes. 

Suddenly, Jyn is back in the doorframe, looking a 1000 degrees different than her usual sweats and hoodie combo. He gulps. 

He is so fucked. 

“Sorry about my mate,” she says, hastily. “He’s just pissed because I’m skipping on pizza night.” 

“Pizza Night?” He apparently decides on humour being the call for this one, because he makes a joke (something he is not known for in the slightest). “I’m on his side, that’s pure blasphemey.” 

There’s a loud laugh from behind them. 

“I LIKE HIM,” Bodhi’s disembodied voice calls out from no where. 

Jyn closes her eyes a moment. As a result, she misses the grin that spreads across Cassian’s face. By the time she’s gotten her composure back under control, he’s already reworked his expression to the totally cool, calm and collected vibe he’s going for. 

“Honestly, though,” he says, quietly. “If you need to reschedule or don’t want to go anymore, I understand -” 

“Oh, we’re going,” Jyn leans over to grab a leather jacket. She throws it on as she stomps out the door. “BYE, BODHI. DON’T WAIT UP.” 

_“Wouldn’t dream of it!”_


	4. Walking

“So how do you know - Bodhi, was it?” 

He wonders if it’s still too early in the night to take her hand. He hasn’t exactly done the dating thing in a while, not since the girl who had dumped him on Christmas Eve two years ago (now  _that_ was a disaster). They walk under the street lights with slow, ambling steps, racing hearts and shy smiles. Jyn shoves her hands into her pockets (there goes that plan) but she at least walks close to his side. 

“Right now, I wish I didn’t know him.” 

“I don’t know, I quite like him.” 

“You would,” Jyn shoots him a look. “We met in high school. Bastard followed me here.” 

“Good to know someone?” 

“Yeah, first-year killed,” Jyn mentions. “You know anyone when you first came?” 

“I came on exchange, so I didn’t know anyone at all. I was only supposed to be here one semester, but it’s been three years now, so… whoops.” 

She laughs and he inwardly sighs with relief. Quite honestly, they both seem to be as nervous as each other here and while he wouldn’t wish this kind of first-date anxiety on anyone, he has to admit it’s comforting to know he isn’t the only one. He flounders a little for another topic of conversation that’s appropriate and that they haven’t yet already covered, and comes up with: 

“So do you live on campus?” 

“I mean, I practically live in the library,” Jyn snorts. 

“See, I was wondering how on earth you always manage to get such a good table.” 

“The trick is to just never leave,” Jyn points out, and he can’t quite tell if she’s joking or not, her humour is apparently that dry. “You know, shove a blanket in your bag, book as a pillow, you can curl up behind the photocopiers and no one ever finds you! I love 24 hour libraries.” 

“You don’t… actually sleep in the library, do you?” 

“Oh, fuck, that’s weird isn’t it?” Jyn suddenly halts in the middle of the footpath. He glances back in confusion to see her grimacing under the light of a flickering street lamp. “I mean, I promise I have a life! I go to class, I do assignments… shit, this isn’t helping,” She laughs nervously. “WELP. It was nice dating you for all but half an hour, guess I’ll just go throw myself off a bridge now -” 

“ _Jyn_ ,” He darts forward at her sudden turn around, as she were about to sweep herself out of the picture (and subsequently off the nearest aforementioned bridge). He catches her elbow. 

He’s not quite sure what to say now that she’s here looking at him expectedly, though. All he knows at this point is that he gave up not imagining kissing her about three days into sitting at the same table, and that he very,  _very_ desperately wants to go to this dinner with her. He squeezes her elbow a little. 

“Where are some other best sleeping spots in the library? You’re clearly an expert,” he tries. 

A pause. Then, 

“Well, for starters, the entire second floor is out. It’s the communal areas, too much noise.” 

“Naturally.” 

“But the third floor is actually surprisingly quiet, if you stay away from the staff block …” 


	5. Dinner

To both Jyn and Cassian’s utter relief, dinner is going well. 

Conversation is smooth, the food is good and it turns out that they have quite a lot in common. They both have the same deadpan kind of humour, the same disdain for people who jam the photocopiers at the library, not to mention that they both apparently have dating horror stories that could make even the strongest person cringe. 

“I once had a bloke ask me if he could lick my boobs,” Jyn mentions around a forkful of steak. “We hadn’t even ordered yet.” 

Cassian groans sympathetically. “How long did you stick it out?” 

“Until after dinner. I would have bailed sooner, but I was kind of hungry, to be honest.” 

“Well, I apologise on the behalf of the boob-licker, he didn’t deserve you,” Cassian says, earnestly. “buuuut I can still top you with ‘worst date ever’.” 

“Fine,” she smirks at him. “Try me.” 

“Oh, prepare yourself, Jyn,” This is the story that Cassian tends to only break out at parties as an icebreaker. It’s kind of bizarre in that sense. “about two years ago, this girl from my class would always sit next to me. I thought she was cute, we would always flirt, so I eventually ask her out. She says yes, we go out for drinks and it’s going well until some guy shows up out of nowhere and suddenly starts yelling at the girl. Turns out that the guy was the girl’s husband.” 

Jyn snorts out half her drink over her plate. “ _Oh, no_.” 

Cassian nods. “I’m freaking out, this guy looks like he could knock me unconscious, the girl is crying, it’s a complete mess!” 

“Ok, ok, you win,” Jyn wipes at her face, hastily. 

“Oh, that wasn’t even the worst part.” 

“Do I dare ask?” 

“After that,” Cassian pauses the right amount of time before the punchline. “is when  _the girl’s boyfriend also showed up_.” 

“No fucking way.” Her mouth hangs open. 

“I shit you not.” 

“Damn,” Jyn snorts. “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry in sympathy.” 

“You can laugh, that’s what I do now.” 

She does, and Cassian realises in that moment that he isn’t quite prepared for it. When she laughs, her entire face lights up and holy shit, it damn near kills him. He still barely knows this woman, he tries to reason with himself. They’re still learning, they’re still just getting to know each other, but already she drives him insane. He is apparently crushing hard, something he hasn’t done in a long time, and for some reason he’s more than ok with it. 

After dinner they decide to split a dessert only for Jyn to eat most of it herself. Thankfully, no jealous husbands (or boyfriends) turn up and they leave the restaurant with their sides brushing into each other, animatedly complaining about the shoddy university library Wi-Fi. It’s only when they linger outside on the footpath that Cassian realises that he doesn’t want this night to end yet… and from their stalling, it seems that she doesn’t either. 

There’s a chill breeze. He shivers and she steps in slightly closer. 

“Hey, um,” she says to his chest. “I know this really great bar about a ten minute walk from here. We could, uh, go get a drink or something… I don’t know, if you wanted…” 

He can’t even bring himself to be embarrassed at how quickly he says yes. 

This time when they walk down the street, they hold hands. 


	6. Bathroom

Jyn doesn’t know what possessed her into bringing Cassian to the Millennium Falcon bar. 

The place is tacky and shady at best. However, she looked up at Cassian’s face after dinner and knew for a fact that if she let the night end there, she would never forgive herself. So she reached out, took his hand, and somehow she’s now found herself in the woman’s bathroom having what seems to be some kind of mental breakdown. 

“Hey, are you … ok?” 

Jyn glances up from the wall to see one of the many women packed in here watching her in concern while washing her hands at the sink. Jyn straightens, tugging her jacket hastily and claiming, “Oh, yeah. I’m great! Never better!” 

“Are you sure? Because I know the owner of this place, if you need someone kicking out or a way to get home. I can help -” 

“Oh shit, no, it’s fine,” Jyn says at once. “Thanks, but I’m… I’m good. Thanks.” 

“Ok,” the woman looks a little bemused, but moves aside anyway to where the hand dryers are. Jyn watches in desperation. She considered calling Bodhi the second she walked in here, but the fact that he would barely be able to hear wasn’t even the worst part of that plan. He would mock her for life if he found out her dilemma. Jyn glances at the woman again, at her beautiful white party dress, the elaborate up-do. She looks like someone who has her life together. She looks like someone who might get it. 

“Ok, I’m not fine,” she mentions over the noise of the bathroom. 

The woman shoots her a look. “Hit me with it, girl.” 

“I’m here on a date, it’s the best fucking date I’ve been on in years and I’m goddamn freaking out about it.” 

The woman is apparently highly amused by all this. She moves away from the hand dryer, coming over to join Jyn in leaning out of the way in the corner of the bathroom. She ignores the music, the deafening dryers, the girl throwing up the cubicle closest to them, and instead, folds her arms and asks, 

“Who’s the date with, then?” 

“A bloke I study with sometimes. We both go to the uni here.” 

“And you’re freaking out?” 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me!” Jyn cries. “Well, I do, I’m a bloody nutcase that’s what’s wrong with me, but I’ve dated before. I’m not completely socially inept, but turns out he’s fucking perfect and he makes me feel like I’m going to throw up every time he looks at me and nothing’s ever felt this right on a first date before. Do you get me?” 

“Can’t help you there,” the woman grins. “I apparently only date assholes. But sounds to me like you’ve just found the one, girl.” 

Jyn takes a deep breath. Honestly to her it sounds that way as well, but she’s been getting to know this man for barely a couple hours! 

“I like him so much,” She winces at the admittance, but doesn’t take it back. “What the hell do I do from here?” 

“Talk to me. What’s the date involved so far?” 

“He picked me up, we went to dinner. Talked a lot, and I didn’t want to say goodbye yet so I asked if he wanted to come get a drink or something… and now I’m hiding in the bathroom.” 

The woman considers. “Ok. Here’s what you do: you get back out there and let him buy you a drink. You loosen up, flirt your ass off, maybe ask him to dance a little. Go with it from there. Just promise me that no matter what happens, you at least kiss this guy before the night ends. Deal?” 

Jyn nods in relief. “Deal.” 


	7. Dancing

She’s spent so long in the bathroom that Jyn’s almost half-convinced herself that surely Cassian must have left. Who on this planet would be willing to just sit around, waiting until their date had stopped freaking the shit out? However she walks back out into the pub and she sees him right where she left him. Standing near the bar, bearded face lit up from the light of the phone in his hands. Still waiting for her. 

She takes a breath, before moving to join him. 

It’s pretty packed at the Millennium Falcon that night. The owner of the place is rather well known for throwing ridiculous theme nights and apparently, they’ve chosen a night where it’s some kind of cowboy theme. They pick their way through patrons wearing knock-off plastic Stetsons and exasperated bartenders forced into t-shirts that say ‘howdy partner’ with their drinks. They end up finding a spot at a table not far from the bar, though it’s already taken up by several people. As a result, their two stools are shoved quite close together, their legs forced to overlap, but Jyn isn’t about to complain and apparently, neither is Cassian. 

It’s harder to talk here naturally, thanks to the noise, but they almost don’t have to. They drink comfortably, occasionally remarking on the music or the people around them, but mostly ok with simply being in each other’s space. He rests his beer against his leg, the arm on the table stretched out so that the hand curls around her leaning elbow. She’s loath to break the contact, even when they finish their drinks. 

But Bathroom Girl’s words are still ringing in her head. While she is absolutely certain that she will eventually regret this, she still puts down her empty glass and hops to her feet. 

“I suck at dancing,” she says. “You know, just as a blanket disclaimer, but uh…” 

Cassian smiles, putting down his own glass as he gets to his feet. “Well, I mean, there’s not much to it right?” 

“True, true,” Jyn admits. She leads him backwards by the hand towards the dance floor. “I guess it basically is just jumping up and down.” 

“Waving your arms in the air.” 

“Nodding your head a little.” 

She pulls him further into the crowd. They’re jostled from all sides and she’s panicking a little because  _what possessed her to think that this was a good idea_ , but she can feel the music thumping in her chest and god, she’s going through with this whether she likes it or not. 

“I dunno,” she adds. “Maybe it’s easier if we just hug and sway from side to side.” 

“Typically, the song needs to be a little slower for that.” 

“Does it have to?” She doesn’t quite know where to put her hands, and in the end, she settles for his waist. It’s apparently an ok option, as he wraps his arms around her in return. 

“Not at all.” 

They dance… or at least Jyn makes a pretty decent attempt to, while simultaneously trying not to kill his toes. It’s basically just moving her hips in time to the beat and swinging her head around, it literally shouldn’t be so damn hard! If Bodhi could give her any kind of advice right now, it would be to quit thinking and just  _feel_ or some shit, but believe it or not, but Jyn isn’t exactly what one could describe as ‘spontaneous’ or ‘emotional’. She’s as tense as a statue, and she knows he can feel it in the way that his hands flex against her back. She sighs. 

“I’m sorry …” she says into his ear. 

“Hey,” he says back. “I wouldn’t let you jump off a bridge earlier, and I’m still not going to now.” 

Thank the maker, she significantly relaxes after that. It’s enough to get slightly more confident, especially when she realises that the people around her appear to be no more talented than she is. She finds herself singing along to the words and Cassian laughs into her hair. Her nose is pressed into his chest and blimey, she hasn’t been physically close to someone like this in a long time. She didn’t think she missed such a thing until now. She drags her hands up his sides so they can clasp around his neck. 

She stares up at him under the lights. How the hell did she find this man? 


	8. Call

They stumble out of the bar and out onto the street, half-drunk and clutching at each other as they laugh. 

“You look like discount Clint Eastwood, take the bloody thing off!” Jyn reaches up to try and yank the plastic hat off his head, but Cassian jerks back. 

“Excuse me, but I’ve decided to wear this hat forever.” 

“They were handing out hundreds of them, it was probably bought at Poundland,” Jyn complains, only her hands are somewhere under his jacket now, pulling at his waist as she walks backwards down the footpath. 

“It was gifted to me from the owner of the bar himself, it would be rude to take it off,” He keeps up with her, teasing her with the edge of the silly, cheap hat. 

“You look ridiculous.” 

“I look  _incredible_ ,” Cassian pauses, suddenly throwing an arm around her waist. He uses it to keep her in place as he pulls the offending hat off his head and shoves it onto Jyn’s with a flourish. “There! Is that better?” 

“Somehow it’s even worse now,” she glances up at it. 

He laughs again, until there’s a sudden trill from between them. Cassian’s phone is ringing, and he curses in Spanish. “I’m so sorry,” he says hastily, keeping his arm around her as he fishes the phone out of this pocket. He apparently figures out who it is before he answers, since he sighs and says into the phone, “ _Kay_ , I told you not to call!” 

Whoever Kay is, they’re clearly not in Cassian’s good graces right now. She tries not to listen, but it’s rather hard when one is so close. Cassian’s exasperated voice is right in her ear and as near as she can gather, it’s a friend calling to make sure that his date hasn’t killed him yet… or you know, something along those lines. In any other circumstance she wouldn’t blame them at all, but the Cassian in front of her is clearly pissed off. 

“What? I’m not putting her on the phone, for god’s sake!” he hisses. 

But Jyn gestures for the thing, even forgetting for the moment that she’s still wearing the ridiculous hat. Cassian pulls the phone away from his ear and says, “No, no, seriously - it’s just my roommate, he’s a little unreasonable - you don’t have to -” 

“Give me the phone, Cassian.” 

With a look of great trepidation, he does what she says. 

“Jyn here,” she says, casually tossing her free arm around Cassian’s neck. “I take it this is some kind of ‘emergency bail out’ call? Like if it turns out that I’m crazy, you call and Cassian has a convenient excuse to get out of here?” 

Kay huffs a little, but naturally is too British to actually admit to anything remotely confrontational. “ _Well, are you?_ ” he instead asks. “ _Crazy, I mean_.” 

“Oh, yeah!” Jyn nods earnestly. “I’m fucking nuts, didn’t you know? I murdered my last boyfriend because he didn’t wear the matching shirt I picked out for him, but don’t worry. I got off on a technicality.” 

She almost thinks Kay chokes on something. “ _You can’t be serious_.” 

“Deadly. I trap men with my roguish charms and steal their credit card information. I can make entire economy systems crash.” 

Cassian is half laughing, half gesturing for the phone back in a panic. Jyn ducks out of the way, jumping back from his swiping hand. “And don’t forget the criminal father!” she carries on, on a role now. “He walked out on the family when I was eight to pursue a life of drugs and money laundering, but it’s not all bad! We’re working on building a relationship again - HEY!” 

“That’s enough - KAY, SHE’S KIDDING,” Cassian leaps forward before she can stop him, yanking the phone out of her hand. He practically yells into it and Jyn cackles a little, leaning back against the nearest street lamp. “I promise you - yeah, look, that’s just the sense of humour she has,” He shoots her a look and Jyn shrugs. “Kay. Seriously. I’m having a good time, ok?” 

When he hangs up the phone, her heart is racing. He rubs his eyes warily and groans, “I’m so sorry, Jyn - I always tell him not to call, but he does it every damn time, I swear -” 

“Hey, it’s fine,” Jyn says.  

They’re quiet for a moment, standing together in the busy street. Around them, fellow party-goers are shivering in coats and vomiting into gutters, staggering through the streets to either carry on to the clubs that hadn’t closed yet, or otherwise reach the bus terminal that would eventually take everyone home. According to her phone it’s after 1am. 

Cassian snorts a little, then. He points out the monstrosity on her head. 

“I’m sorry I made you wear the hat.” 

“Eh, I think it’s growing on me,” Jyn places her hand protectively on her head, as if he might try and take it back. “Admit it, I look amazing in this hat.” 

“You look amazing.” 

Hahahaha. Well, shit. 

(She tries not to blush). 


	9. Beach

Jyn’s not entirely sure how they end up at the beach. 

The beer from the pub probably had something to do with it, but either way they find themselves joined down on England’s southern coastline by stabbing rocks, sub-zero water and drunk students daring each other to go skinny dip. There is only one one word that Jyn feels could accurately describe their actions, but she’s pretty damn certain she’s never ‘frollicked’ in her life before now and she doesn’t quite know where it’s coming from. It’s like something lifted straight out of an indie romantic-drama film! 

They talk, leaning against each other and occasionally trying to steal the fake Stetson off the other. They laugh, his arms around her waist and Jyn pointing out rocks that she claims look like Cassian’s head. They hold hands and wonder out loud whether Kay has called the police on her yet and when the library will finally cave and just install napping pods already. And it all just feels… it  _feels_. That’s what this all comes down to. She’s learning more and more about Cassian as the night goes on and she is liking it very, very much. 

She doesn’t even know how long they talk for. At one point, they sit down on the rocks, facing each other with their legs crossed. Between them, they’re attempting to build a tower of rocks. 

“Do you plan on going back to Mexico when you finish uni?” she asks. 

They both groan as his latest rock falls, causing the entire tower to collapse. “I haven’t quite decided yet, honestly,” Cassian answers her. 

“How come?” 

“Well,” They start to build again, both slapping each other’s hands out of the way. “I’ll have a lot more job opportunities in England. It’s probably the best option for me to stay, but then I remember that the weather’s shit, and that my English is still terrible.” 

“What do you mean your English is terrible?” Jyn scoffs. 

“It’s been three years, and I’ve just realised I still don’t know the name for this type of hat,” Cassian explains, pulling off said hat and holding it in his hand. He stares at it in distaste. 

“A Stetson?” 

“Stetson!” Cassian says triumphantly, shoving the hat back onto his head. “See?” 

“So you don’t know the word for a type of hat. Your English is a thousand times better than my Spanish.” 

He laughs good-naturedly. “Well, thank you.” 

“The tower is leaning, by the way.” 

He hastily pays closer attention to the rock tower, but sure enough it falls before he can intervene. They jokingly mourn the fallen tower, before starting again. “But you think you might stay, then?” she prompts the conversation on. 

“I think I’d at least like to,” he says. “I guess it all depends on my visa really, but I’ve made friends, built a life here. The only thing that I really miss from Mexico is my family.” 

“Do you ever get to visit?” 

“I keep trying to convince my sister to move out here with me,” Cassian says, a smile softening his face. “It hasn’t worked so far, but I think I’m wearing her down.” 

“Older or younger?” 

“I’m younger,” Cassian answers. “You?” 

“Only child. Unless you count Bodhi annoying me every damn day.” 

“Did you ever want siblings?” 

“Sometimes,” Jyn admits. “but most of the time, just Mum and I were enough. No Dad, it’s a long story,” He nods in understanding. Their tower is growing rather tall now, higher than their legs. She carries on with, “I mean, I’m a bit bias of course, but I’d vote for staying in England. Yeah the weather’s shit, as you put it, but the people aren’t half bad.”  _I’m not half bad. Right?_

“Oh, I don’t know, you British do like to complain a lot.” 

“What? Never!” Jyn says indignantly. Cassian laughs at her, jostling his hand just slightly too much. She sees their rock tower accidentally falling in slow motion and Jyn swears spectacularly. “You busted it!” She shoves him in the chest. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! No, you definitely don’t complain at all -” 

Maybe she shoves him again. 


	10. Kiss

“Are you able to walk, yet?” Cassian calls up to her. 

“Uhhhnngnn… no,” Jyn grumbles, her face still smushed into Cassian’s shoulder and unable to lift it. She’s definitely sobered up by now, it’s nearing on five in the morning, and she’s been carried on Cassian’s back for several streets now. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem to mind. She can barely keep her eyes open. 

“Look,” she yawns. “At this point, we’ve already walked halfway back to my place, it would take even longer going back to your car. Just stay at mine, and we can go get it tomorrow.” 

“Are you sure?” Cassian asks, head tilting slightly to try and see her. 

“Yeah. It’s totally fine.” 

Truth is if she was a little more alert she might’ve been screaming slightly, but to hell with it. Considering that this had started out as a simple dinner date, she is rather proud of letting herself go as far as she’s actually wanted to. Cassian hoists her up more securely on his back before claiming, “Race you!” and tears off down the road for all of ten seconds before he apparently gets tired. 

At one point she insists on being put down, but he refuses. He carries her the entire way back to her building, only putting her down when she needs to find her keys. They’re both exhausted, to the point where Jyn barely even winces at the mess inside her flat. The coffee table is strewn with text books and highlighters that don’t work, the floor covered in empty takeaway rubbish. She realises that she’d been in the middle of making her bed before going out tonight, and she has to hastily dump the duvet back onto the sheets. 

She turns back to see him kicking off his shoes, rubbing at his eyes. Her heart clenches for a moment. Seeing him in her room, in her place, it feels weird and somehow also natural and that’s about when she realises that she still hasn’t kissed him yet. She promised Bathroom Girl that she would. Is this the right time? Shit, she probably should have done it on the beach or at the bar when they were dancing! What the hell is wrong with her? 

No, the moment has passed. Best to just move on. 

… fuck it. 

She’s across the room in three seconds, Cassian gasping slightly as she presses her mouth to his. She twists her hands into his hair, breathing him in, tasting beer and potential on his lips. Cassian’s arms wind around her waist and the Stetson is finally knocked to the floor and forgotten about. They stay locked together for a long moment until eventually, she pulls back. 

“Sorry,” she murmurs. “I just… I told myself I had to do that. Before the night ended. Exactly how tired are you?” 

He chuckles a little. “Is it presumptuous of me to say ‘suddenly, not very’?” 

“No,” She pulls back her arms to strip her jacket off. “And at the risk of exposing myself as an emotional twat here, I find I’m suddenly no longer tired either.” 

“Romantic.” His hands slide up her arms. 

“You know me.” 

“I’m definitely learning,” he grins before kissing her deeply. 


	11. Morning

She wakes with something heavy on top of her. 

Quite honestly, Jyn panics for about half a second. So used to being the sole occupant of her bed, it throws her completely to have someone else in it. But then she remembers, and she glances over to see Cassian still sound asleep next to her on his stomach, his arm stretched out across her waist. 

She smiles. 

Her arm on the pillow above her curls down and she runs her fingers lightly through his hair. As far as first times go… it was  _bloody_ good. Enthusiastic, passionate and satisfying, they just fit. She can’t explain it. She stares hard at his closed eyes, at the scruff that adorns his face, the bare shoulders and parted lips, knowing that she’s always been nothing if not pragmatic. She thinks too much, holds back because it’s safer, but sometimes you just know about a person. Her and Cassian … they click. There’s a spark she’s not even sure she’s truly felt before and for the first time ever, she’s thinking to hell with being cautious. 

Whatever the hell this is… it’s making her want to be brave.

She doesn’t mean to wake him, but he stirs and Jyn snatches her hand back. She quickly ducks further under the duvet, turning onto her side away from him. She hears Cassian grumble slightly at waking, rubbing his eyes. Then he pauses. 

“Jyn?” 

“Hey,” she says, quietly. 

He leans over slowly, lips pressing firmly into her hair. She hides her smile into her pillow. He wraps his arm back around her as he says, “For the record, I swear I don’t usually sleep with people on the first date.” 

It cracks through the awkward morning-after-nerves. Jyn lets out a snort, turning over and facing him. “It’s fine, no judgement here,” she says good-naturedly. 

“Really -” 

“Honestly, Cassian. I don’t usually, either.” 

 _There’s just something about you_ , are the words that go unsaid. They don’t really need to be spoken anyway, both of them seem to get it. She leans forward and kisses him. Heat engulfs them both rather quickly, only it’s about half a second later that naturally, someone starts banging on her front door. “Jesus Christ, it’s not even nine!” Jyn whines, pulling back. However, her senses somewhere are telling her that it’s probably Bodhi and experience also tells her that unless she gets up and answers, he’ll just come bursting in himself. It’s hard to drag herself away from Cassian (especially when he’s still kissing her shoulders), but eventually she manages to leave him by stealing his shirt to wear. 

“FINALLY!” Bodhi yells when she opens the door exasperatedly. Then he takes in her dishevelled appearance and adds, “WELL. I was going to ask how the date went last night, but I guess now I’ve already got my answer…” 

“Bodhi, I’ll tell you everything later,” she promises. “but for now, can you PLEASE just go home?” 

“Holy shit,  _is he still there?_ ” Bodhi asks in amazement, trying to peer past her now. 

“Honestly, who’s shirt did you think I was wearing?” 

“HI, CASSIAN!” he yells into the flat. 

Jyn hastily shoves him further out into the hallway. “ _Goodbye_.” 

As she slams the door shut, Cassian emerges. He sticks his head around her bedroom door and clearly tries to not look too amused at her groaning. “Guess I should get dressed, then?” he asks. “I’ll need my shirt back.” 

Jyn looks up at him. 

“Come and get it.” 

He does. 


	12. End

Eventually, they’re driving back to her flat after picking up his car.  

If feels like it’s been years since he first picked her up for this date, only now that it’s nearly ending, Jyn’s suddenly certain it couldn’t have been more than a few hours at the most. The walk to the car was a decent one, since there was a reason they drove to the restaurant in the first place, but neither of them complained. Truth is they probably both just wanted the extra time. 

The two of them walked with their arms almost impractically close around each other, Jyn tucked under his shoulder and her gripping his waist tightly. They were jolted every time they walked even a tiniest bit out of synch, but neither of them seemed to care all that much. She already misses his body. She misses being wrapped around him, ankles digging into his back. She misses being held and kissed within an inch of her life, and the way he said her name over and over as he came. Hell, she’s not entirely sure she’s going to ever be able to get that image out of her mind. 

Jyn lets her head rest back, watching him drive. It almost feels like a dream. 

“So do you have plans for today?” Cassian asks her. 

“I mean, I should  _probably_ go to the library …” she warbles. 

“We should all probably be at the library, to be fair,” he mentions. 

“Yeah, but let’s face it,” Jyn shrugs, trying not to yawn now. “I’ll probably get back home and just end up napping for hours.” 

“After being forced to tell Bodhi everything, of course.” 

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Jyn grumbles. “Thanks for being cool about my weirdo friend, by the way.” 

“I like your weirdo friend,” he says, warmly. “and thank you for not completely rejecting me when I asked you out,” he adds. “I was half convinced I was coming off as a creepy stalker.” 

“Well,” Jyn smirks. “maybe not a creepy one.” 

He reaches out a hand to hit her affectionately on the arm. Eyes on the road, he misses slightly and ends up hitting her chest instead, something she teases him about for the next several streets. All too soon, their laughter is dying out as they pull up in front of her building. When the car comes to a complete stop, Jyn glances up to see Cassian already mirroring the look on her face. God, she can’t hold it. 

“Blimey,” she mutters, glancing away as she nervously runs a hand through her hair. 

He laughs a little breathlessly. “Yeah.” 

“I had a good time,” she admits. “A seriously good time.” 

“So did I,” Cassian says. “I’ll text you?” 

“Soon, yes,” she insists. 

They don’t need to say more. They both lean in and meet somewhere in the middle. It’s always awkward kissing in a car like this, bent over a hand break and never able to get quite close enough, but they do their best. Their hands grip each other fiercely as she attempts to kiss the hope back into her. Yes, maybe her ability to Relationship is in fact terrible. Maybe every relationship she tries does always end in utter disaster. 

But maybe,  _just maybe_ … everything will be perfect this time. 

And with that kind of chance, she’s willing to risk it. 

It’s hard for her to get out of the car. She doesn’t stay and watch him drive away (because let’s face it, she has to retain her dignity somehow), but she walks back inside with her hands clasped next to her chest and feeling like, despite all the tests and exams coming her way, she could die very contently right now. It’s roughly half an hour later, just as she’s preparing herself to face the music with Bodhi, that her phone suddenly buzzes. 

 _I know they say you’re supposed to wait 3 days or something, but uh…_  
_Hey_  
_Wanna come over tonight?_

Jyn laughs. 

_Yes._

**FIN**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much everyone for reading and following this lil fic!!!! It was so much fun and I'm so glad yall liked it. :DDDDDD  
> (PS........i may or may not have a sequel in the works, but be warned, it won't be nearly as fluffy hahahahaha)  
> I love you guys!!  
> xoxoxo


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